# cigars vs pipes



## cbr310 (Dec 24, 2014)

Do cigars have the same tastes/flavors as pipes? just curious cause still really frustated on keepind pipe light, never had that problem with cigar. Actuallystarting to taste some new flavors with pipe but have to relight all the time. Ive dried it packed it super light and packed it hard, same results. Might switch over to the other side of forum. I want it to be enjoyable not frustrating like is is now.


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## OnePyroTec (Dec 11, 1997)

I don't find the two to be the same at all, & been smoking both for many years. What pipe are you using? Have you tried changing pipes? What types tobacco?


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## Branzig (Jul 14, 2013)

Same flavor profiles? No. Not at all actually.

Cigars are a far more in your face, bold tobacco taste in my opinion. Less subtle than pipe tobacco. Also there are a lot of flavors that, to me, you can only get in a pipe tobacco. Cigars have a lot of flavor profiles, but they're all big tobacco flavors. 

There is nothing wrong with enjoying both however. I smoke both, depending on my mood.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Certainly cigars are far easier to pick up on when starting out, but I think that the extra learning/experience required by the pipe is time well spent. If you stick with, the time will come, sooner rather than later, when you'll wonder why you were struggling at all.


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## penna stogey (Apr 23, 2014)

It comes down to personal preference. With pipes I found the big plus was the amazing variety of tobaccos out there both natural and flavored. I have a couple(2) pipes but never got the hang of it - it takes some work to learn how to pack them and how to smoke them properly. And it's kind of a pain to keep pipes cleaned out and maintained.

I like smoking cigars more because they're easy - clip the end off, light, relax and enjoy. Taste-wise, cigars aren't as varied as pipe tobacco. A cigar tastes, well, like a cigar to me with more subtle differences in flavor and aroma while different pipe tobaccos taste very different. Hope that helps some.


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## Stonedog (Mar 9, 2011)

Cigars will go out if allowed to rest long enough. Pipes will extinguish much faster. Not a big deal though, many consider a relight or three per bowl to be normal. But with proper technique they shouldn't need to be relight every few puffs. 

Packing density, moisture content and even the puffing cadence can vary from blend to blend and pipe to pipe. The one constant that I've found is the need to tamp. When densely packed the ember can expand the tobacco and push itself up and away from the rest. A light tamp, and damping with two or three fingers, helps maintain the ember. Have you tried tamping?


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## cbr310 (Dec 24, 2014)

I bought a tin of dans sweet vanilla honeydew and midnight ride. The honeydew is the hardest to keep lite. I slowed down the cadence and the midnight ride I can keep better and taste alot of flavor. I do tamp just by lightly dropping tamper from about 1/4 in above ashes. Im trying the frank method and still Learning it. I have no luck with swirl method. Maybe cause I don't take enough tobacco out cause I don't want to dry alot out at once. Should it be as dry as cigarettes? Never really smoked them but wife does. I have 2 dr grabows and 2 mm cobs. Thx for replying everyone.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Stonedog said:


> Cigars will go out if allowed to rest long enough. Pipes will extinguish much faster. Not a big deal though, many consider a relight or three per bowl to be normal. But with proper technique they shouldn't need to be relight every few puffs.
> 
> Packing density, moisture content and even the puffing cadence can vary from blend to blend and pipe to pipe. The one constant that I've found is the need to tamp. When densely packed the ember can expand the tobacco and push itself up and away from the rest. *A light tamp, and damping with two or three fingers, helps maintain the ember. Have you tried tamping?[*


I agree, that a bit too much emphasis is put on the fire itself, rather than tending the fire. Another small item that I believe escapes the notice of those setting out to smoke pipes involves keeping the airway clear. The tiniest piece of tobacco in the airway can masquerade as tight packing, encourage the collection of moisture in the shank and stem, and generally make smoking the pipe unpleasant. I blow through a pipe before filling it, just in case there's something in there. This also gives me reference point for how open the draw is, so that I will be able to tell if it has become blocked while I'm smoking it. I also take a couple of strong puffs before lighting to make sure the draw is open; this will often get small bits of tobacco in my mouth that I have to deal with, but better then than before they find themselves stuck in the shanks, getting goopy and making the pipe smoke like crap.

A cob rarely suffers this problem.


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## Stonedog (Mar 9, 2011)

cbr310 said:


> I bought a tin of dans sweet vanilla honeydew and midnight ride. The honeydew is the hardest to keep lite. I slowed down the cadence and the midnight ride I can keep better and taste alot of flavor. I do tamp just by lightly dropping tamper from about 1/4 in above ashes. Im trying the frank method and still Learning it. I have no luck with swirl method. Maybe cause I don't take enough tobacco out cause I don't want to dry alot out at once. Should it be as dry as cigarettes? Never really smoked them but wife does. I have 2 dr grabows and 2 mm cobs. Thx for replying everyone.


Too dry and you'll get no flavor, but maybe someone else can compare cigarette moisture, I'm afraid I haven't had one since college...

Try tamping with an ever so slight bit more force and puff slowly while doing it. Also, when you feel the pipe may be almost out, try bringing it back by covering the bowl with a couple of fingers and giving it a stronger puff or two. A judicious tamp afterwards may help.

Whatever you do, don't give up. It really is a rewarding endeavor and at some point you will stop being concerned about technique and just relax. Re lights or not, that's when you know you have it.


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## pmr1010 (Jul 13, 2013)

I smoke a lot of cigars and really enjoy them, whereas I've only been smoking a pipe a short time. But I absolutely notice the ability to pick up new flavors and aromas in cigas after smoking pipes for a few days. Vice versa as well. If I'm only smoking cigars and then lightvup a bowl of a tobacco I've tasted a few times before, I can notice new things going on that I noticed from the cigars I recently smoked.


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## Bizley (Dec 1, 2014)

I recommend you keep trying the pipe as well as your cigars. It does take a little time to get things right with the pipe, but when you do, it is so rewarding. The vast flavors of the pipe tobaccos is amazing! Keep pushing forward buddy.


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

I'm mostly a pipe smoker, but I love both.
Try drying yer tobacco more.


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## Tobias Lutz (Feb 18, 2013)

MarkC said:


> Certainly cigars are far easier to pick up on when starting out, but I think that the extra learning/experience required by the pipe is time well spent. If you stick with, the time will come, sooner rather than later, when you'll wonder why you were struggling at all.


+1

The learning curve is definitely more pronounced for pipes, but I find it to be a much more rewarding hobby. YMMV


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## Bruck (Jan 8, 2013)

Advice from a fellow noob - it could be the pipe. My cobs all smoke well, but I have a couple oddball pipes that are an absolute bear to smoke with. They get hot instantly, and the bowl gets gooped up within a half a bowl. One of the tough ones is a "brylon." 

The other thing is, most smoking problems are solved by slowing down. Pipes literally have to be sipped.


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